Poll: why contributing on open source programs?

[cien]

I'm interested in understanding the most important driving reason to spend tons of hours contributing to build a better open source program that will be available to anybody. This is for those who are not currently paid to do so.

1- to solve an actual task that you need? then why sharing it?
2- Is it for fun or personal challenge? then again why sharing it?
3- Is it truly for altruistic reasons?
4- Maybe to signal potential employers? To self train?
5- For reputation? (though under an anonymous nick name or real name)

Or what?

If you can single out the one that is most important to you, would be great!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[elija]

Is it for fun or personal challenge? then why sharing it?

Yep

Is it truly for altruistic reasons?

Yep

Maybe to signal potential employees? To self train?

Yep

For reputation? (though under an anonymous nick name or real name)

Yep

or what?

And let's not forget getting paid to.

Speaking from a purely personal perspective, the first two apply.

[cien]

Thanks elija! I just modified the question a bit. It seem that my question needed some editing to be more clear. I'm more interested about what's people personal motive for sharing their codes.

[fguy64]

I'd pick 4 or 5. It's a way to develop my skills, get some experience, pad my resume.

But it raises an interesting question. Why does open source software exist? I'm not sure I understand. There certainly is some very good free software out there. Stuff that I use repeatedly every day. So clearly the software has value. I use it to make money. If no-one was there giving it away, then I'd be paying for something similar.

Do people have a right to this sort of thing? In a market economy, there are laws that prevent sellers from under-valuing (dumping) their products on the market. Why is software different? It's a grey area, imo.

[rokytnji]

Or what?

Pretty much covers it.

[GNU-Fan]

The OpenSource community has blessed me with a wealth of powerful software, as did the Free Software movement, to make me independent from greedy and powergrabbing entities.

I feel a desire to return/pass on that favour at least a little.

[GNU-Fan]

Do people have a right to this sort of thing? In a market economy, there are laws that prevent sellers from under-valuing (dumping) their products on the market.

Why? The price mirrors the actual marginal cost of distributing "the product".

[fguy64]

Why? The price mirrors the actual marginal cost of distributing "the product".

What exactly are you asking? Why there are laws ( or trade agreements ) against dumping? We are talking unfair trade practices. You think there shouldn't be such laws?

What's the marginal cost of distribution got to do with it? Cause surely there are more cost factors than that involved in development.

Anyways, if by "greedy, power grubbing entitities" you mean people/organizations trying to make a buck by writing software, well I ain't gonna waste my time on that one.

No programmer is ever make a buck writing an enhanced Text Editor, or an IDE, or a wiki, or an audio editor, or any one of a number of things that people do. Cause these things are given away. But don't take my word for it, ask an independant developer what he thinks about free software.

Anyways, I'm not saying it shouldn't be allowed, Hey, I use all the stuff I just described. I just find it puzzling that so much effort goes into creating something that gets given away. Seems a little odd.

[elija]

But don't take my word for it, ask an independant developer what he thinks about free software.

OK, as an independent developer I'll field this one.

I love free software. Without it I would find it much harder to make a living.

[fguy64]

OK, as an independent developer I'll field this one.

I love free software. Without it I would find it much harder to make a living.

OK, I'm all ears.

Would you care to explain how free software makes it easier for you, as one who presumably writes software and sells it, to make a living?

What kind of software do you write and sell?